


I Only Play Angels Lately And They Never Let Me Cheat

by LightsOut



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Howling Commandos - Freeform, Poker, Post-Serum Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-10
Updated: 2015-04-10
Packaged: 2018-03-22 05:31:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3716929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LightsOut/pseuds/LightsOut
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Three times Steve plays poker - 1943, 2014, 2016</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Only Play Angels Lately And They Never Let Me Cheat

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the song ‘Peggy Sang The Blues’ by Frank Turner.

1943\. Location: An old barn in France. 

“Again? Steve, your girl’s cheating.” 

Steve smirked, “She doesn’t have to cheat to beat you.” 

Bucky huffed, “Big talk coming from the guy who won’t play.” 

Steve chuckled and stretched his legs, “You told me that I had an unfair advantage and kicked me outta the game.” 

Bucky grumbled, “Bunch a’ card sharks. We’re gonna end up stripped down to our skivvies at this rate.” 

Peggy smirked, “I have no interest in your skivvies Sergeant Barnes. I will, however, take your chocolate.” 

Barnes slumped dramatically against Steve’s side, “She’s evil Stevie. Are you sure you’re not cheating?” 

Peggy rolled her eyes and repeated Steve’s words, “I don’t need to cheat to beat you.” 

Steve chuckled, “Are you admitting defeat Sergeant?”

Bucky huffed, “For tonight. Killing Nazis really takes it out of a guy.” 

Bucky said goodnight and Steve watched him disappear around the corner to get some sleep. Steve shuffled the cards and he was left alone with Peggy as everyone else made their excuses. When they were alone Steve put down the cards, “When are you going?”

Peggy tapped her long nails on the pile of cards, “Two days from now. We’re heading to Germany.” 

“Five facilities left.” 

Peggy reached across the table to hold Steve’s hand, “You’ll stop them Steve.” 

Steve nodded solemnly, “Thanks Peggy.” 

Peggy picked up the cards and stood, “Get some rest. Tell James that he can have his cards back when he learns to play properly.” 

Steve laughed and Peggy walked away to her own tent. 

~~~~

2014\. Location: Avengers Tower, New York. 

Steve walked through the doors and he was surprised to hear groaning and laughter. His teammates were sitting at the table playing poker. Tony grinned, “Hey Capsicle.” 

“What’re you playing?”

Tony laughed, “Poker.” 

Steve shrugged, “I’ve never played.” 

There were varying reactions but when Natasha showed her cards they all turned their attention to her. Clint cursed and Tony scowled, “Are you cheating?”

Natasha scoffed, “I don’t need to cheat to beat you.” 

Steve almost smiled at the familiar words. Steve felt lucky to have known women like his mother, Peggy and Natasha all of his life. Tony turned his attention back to Steve, “Pull up a chair and we’ll go easy on you.” 

Steve hesitated, “Are you sure? I don’t wanna intrude.” 

An hour later Steve had the biggest pile of chips and an ‘aw-shucks’ expression on his face, “Must be beginners luck. Are you sure you’re not going easy on me?”

Tony was looking at Steve with suspicion. Clint was asleep on the sofa. Thor had gone to call his girlfriend. Bruce had gone back to his lab. Steve was left sitting at the table with Natasha. Steve suspected that Natasha knew what he’d done but it was the most fun he’d had in weeks. A friendly poker game was exactly what he’d needed. Playing with people who didn’t know he’d been shuffling cards with Bucky since they were six was just a bonus. 

Steve stood up and stretched, “Well, I guess I’d better go and sleep. Thanks for a fun evening guys.” 

Natasha slipped into the lift beside Steve. When the doors were closed Natasha chuckled softly, “That was good Captain. Maybe you’d make a good spy after all.” 

Steve gave her his most innocent smile, “I’m more of a heavy hitter.” After a moment he told her, “You reminded me of Peggy. None of the other guys could beat her at poker either.” 

Natasha gave him a surprisingly earnest smile, “Thanks Steve.” The doors opened and she stepped out, “Goodnight.” 

~~~~

2016\. Location: Avengers Tower, New York. 

Bucky laughed loudly, “They fell for that?” 

Steve rolled his eyes, “Calm down before you break something.” 

Bucky flopped down onto the sofa, “You have an eidetic memory, a talent for strategy and you play dirty… how on earth did they think that you wouldn’t be good at poker?”  


Steve admitted, “I told them that I’d never played before.” 

Bucky laughed harder, “What else did they think that we did in between blowing up HYDRA?”

Steve shrugged, “Braided each other’s hair and give each other promise rings?”

Bucky snorted, “Crazy. Hey, you never did tell me what happened that night.” 

“What night?”

“The night Peggy stole my good playing cards. That dame never even blinked at the pictures on them.” 

“Nothing happened.” 

“Are you saying that our set up was a waste?”

“I didn’t need a set up and Peggy wasn’t interested.” 

“She was a clever gal.” 

“Yeah, she was the best.” 

Bucky grabbed the glass of scotch and toasted the picture in the locket that had followed Steve out of the ice, “To Peggy, the best poker player and woman I knew.” Steve joined in on the toast and pulled out Bucky’s playing cards from underneath the sofa. Bucky’s eyes bugged, “Where’d you find ‘em?”

Steve passed them to his best friend, “She said that you could have them when you learned to play. Are you up for a game?”

On the day Peggy died Steve and Bucky sat in their apartment and played poker in Peggy’s memory. Steve even let Bucky win once.


End file.
